I Wait for Yahweh – Psalm 130

Waiting for God means a couple of things.  It means I know that my only answer and hope comes from Him.  It means I am focusing my actions and thoughts, not on rescuing myself, but on being ready for His rescue.  It is a very active passivity that acknowledges that Yahweh alone is my Redeemer.  Like the watchman who eagerly watches for the coming of morning and a rescuing army, so I wait on the Lord.

A Song of Ascents.

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!  O Lord, hear my voice!  Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?  But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the LORD!  For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.  And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.  (Psalm 130 ESV)

Until we recognize how much we are drowning in our sinfulness we will not appeal to Yahweh for mercy.  Until we realize that the marks against us make it impossible for us to ever stand in God’s presence and merit heaven, we will never find His forgiveness. 

The Jewish worshiper waited for Yahweh’s word or pronouncement of forgiveness upon completion of the sacrifice of a sheep or goat or bull.  But we have already been given the word of forgiveness in the sacrifice of Jesus.  Our soul’s wait is accomplished and our hope is fully in the Lord who has redeemed us from all our iniquities because of His steadfast love.